Hong Kong Salmon Cakes With Baby Bok Choy Food

30-MINUTE PAN-SEARED SALMON WITH BABY BOK CHOY AND SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/2 cups water with the rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the rice is tender and most of the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest. Fluff with a fork right before serving.
• Meanwhile, quarter the bok choy through the stem ends. Halve the mushroom caps (or quarter them if they are large) by stacking them and cutting them in batches.
• Heat 2 large nonstick skillets with 1 tablespoon oil in each over medium-high heat. Divide the bok choy between the two pans, placing it cut-side down. Cook, undisturbed, until charred in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. By this time, the leaves will be fairly wilted, and there will be enough room to transfer all of the bok choy into just one skillet to finish cooking. Place the bok choy so that the other cut side faces down. Cook until charred in spots, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, scallion whites, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Continue to cook, stirring, until the bok choy and mushrooms are soft, about 4 minutes (if the skillet looks dry add 1 more tablespoon of oil). Stir in the scallion greens, then remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the soy sauce and vinegar.
• While the bok choy cooks, pat the fish dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Wipe out the other skillet and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Put the salmon into the hot skillet, flesh-side down, and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Flip with a spatula and cook the other side to the desired level of doneness, 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Divide the vegetables and rice between 4 plates and top each with a piece of salmon. Drizzle with a little extra soy sauce.

HONG KONG SALMON CAKES WITH BABY BOK CHOY

Steps:

• To make the salmon cakes: Heat 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallot, ginger, and chiles; saute for a few minutes to release the flavor. Remove from heat to cool slightly.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the salmon, cracker crumbs, cilantro, mayonnaise, lemon juice and egg. Scrape the garlic/ginger oil into the salmon mixture; season with salt and pepper. Fold the ingredients together gently but thoroughly. Using your hands, form the mixture into 4-8 salmon cakes (depending on desired size).
• Coat a non-stick skillet with the 2 tablespoons of peanut oil and bring it to a slight smoke over medium heat. Fry the salmon cakes until brown, about 4 minutes on each side, turning carefully with a spatula. Keep warm on a plate lined with paper towels.
• To make the bok choy: Return the skillet to the heat and coat with the 2 tablespoons of peanut oil and heat until almost smoking. Split the piece of ginger open with a knife then whack it with the flat side of the knife. Lay the ginger pieces in the oil, cut-side down to let it start to perfume. Pan-fry the bok choy, cut-side down, for a couple of minutes to give it some color. Add the water and cook another minute to steam the bok choy; carefully remove it to a plate. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, lemon juice, and brown sugar. Cook and stir for 3 minutes until the sauce is the consistency of syrup.
• Serve the salmon cakes with the bok choy, and drizzle the brown sauce over the whole thing. Garnish the dish with the toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, and green onion.

HONG KONG CRAB CAKES WITH BABY BOK CHOY

Steps:

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar Toasted sesame seeds (see Note), chopped cilantro, and sliced green onion, for garnish Sauté the garlic and ginger in a tablespoon of peanut oil for a few minutes; cooking them first really releases a lot of flavor and gives the crab cakes depth. Remove from the heat. In a mixing bowl, combine the crabmeat, bread crumbs, green onion, mayonnaise, chili paste, lemon juice, and egg white. Scrape the garlic-ginger oil into the bowl; season with salt and pepper. Fold the ingredients together gently but thoroughly, taking care not to mash the crabmeat. Using your hands, form the mixture into 4 crab cakes; they should be moist and just hold together. Put the crab cakes on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate while preparing the bok choy. This allows the flavors to blend and the crab cakes to set.
• Cover the bottom of a skillet with a 2-count drizzle of peanut oil and heat until almost smoking. Split the piece of ginger open with a knife, then whack it with the flat side of the knife to release the flavor. Lay the ginger pieces in the oil, cut-side down, to let them start to perfume. Pan-fry the bok choy, cut-side down, for a couple of minutes to give it some color. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, lemon juice, and brown sugar. Thin out the sauce with 3/4 cup of water. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has a syrupy consistency.
• While that's happening, coat another skillet with a 4-count of peanut oil and bring it to a slight smoke over medium heat. Fry the crab cakes until brown, about 5 minutes on each side, turning carefully with a spatula. Serve the crab cakes with the bok choy and garnish with the toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, and green onion.
• notes
• To make fresh bread crumbs: Cut the crusts off some stale bread and pulse it in a food processor.
• To toast sesame seeds: Put the sesame seeds in a dry skillet. Place over medium-low heat and shake the pan constantly until the seeds are golden brown.